PLATINUM
Specimen pla-5

Dims: 2 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.04 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska, U.S.A.

This tiny specimen consists of a single grain of native Platinum that shows no crystalline form. Because of its size, it is difficult to examine it without at least 10x magnification. It shows no apparent crystalline form and has the standard moderate silver-gray coloration and metallic luster that one would expect of this material. Under magnification, it looks much like that which is expected of a tiny Platinum nugget.

Dims: 3 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.05 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska, U.S.A.

A single, small grain of native Platinum constitutes this tiny specimen. It lacks any crystalline form and has the standard silver-gray coloration and metallic luster of this element. The specimen is so small, however, that at least a loupe is needed to effectively study it. Obviously, there is no host rock present.

Dims: 2 x 3 x 4 mm

Wt: 0.12 g

Ledyanoi Deposit, Vyvenka River, near Korf, Kamchiatka Peninsula, Russia.

This specimen consists of a small grain of native Platinum. It does not appear to be damaged in any way, though magnification is needed to examine it closely. There do appear to be some rounded hollows in the piece, but these might be caused by chromite crystals that were since removed. The Platinum has a rather dark gray color and a dull metallic luster, though magnification shows tiny patches of brigter color and luster on its surface. There is no host rock of any sort present.

Dims: 3 x 3 x3 mm

Wt: 0.18 g

Ledyanoi Deposit, Vyvenka River, near Korf, Kamchiatka Peninsula, Russia.

A small grain of native Platinum makes up this specimen. The Platinum has a dark gray coloration and a dull metallic luster. Some of the more exposed corners and edges, however, show wear in the form of rounded surfaces that have a brighter color and luster. The metal is essentially amorphous, though it does contain a few interesting formations that are almost crystalline in appearance. There is a tiny, flattened nodule attached to the Platinum- it is colorless and dimly transparent. I can only guess that it might be a tiny bit of quartz-based sand from the locality where the piece was found. There is no host rock present, of course.

Dims: 2 x 2 x 3 mm

Wt: 0.08 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska, U.S.A.

This tiny Platinum nugget is one of the brigher ones that we have in our stock. Its coloration is a bright silvery-gray, and its luster is a moderately bright metallic. Though there may be slight evidence of crystalline tendencies, almost all of its edges and corners are rounded. There is no host rock present, of course.

Dims: 3 x 2 x 2 mm

Wt: 0.14 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska

This tiny Platinum nugget has the standard moderate gray color and slightly dull metallic luster of its species. Even under 10-power magnification, it shows no appreciable crystal form.

Dims: 3 x 2 x 2 mm

Wt: 0.10 g (0.50 ct)

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska

This tiny piece consists of a miniscule chunk of Native Platinum. It shows no visible crystal form- all faces are uneven and all edges are rounded over. Though some areas are dark in color and dull in luster, most have the silvery-gray color and metallic luster of the metal.

Dims: 3 x 2 x 2 mm

Wt: 0.10 g (0.50 ct)

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska

A tiny Platinum nugget, this piece seems to show some nearly crystalline tendencies. Most edges are still rounded, however, and most faces are curved. It has a silvery-gray coloration and a slightly dull metallic luster.

Dims: 4 x 3 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.09 g (0.45 ct)

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska

This Platinum piece looks appreciably larger than most others in our stock from this locality. I have examined it closely, and think that there might even be one or two tiny partial crystal faces or edges on it. Its silvery-gray color and dulled metallic luster are standard for the metal.

Dims: 2 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.07 g (0.45 ct)

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska

This tiny Platinum nugget has the standard silvery-gray color and dull metallic luster of pieces from this locality. There may be some slight evidence of crystalline tendencies, but this can only be affirmed with the help of a microscope or a high-powered magnifier.

Dims: 3 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.07 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska

Like our other Platinum pieces, this one is very small and has the standard silvery-gray color and a slightly dull metallic luster. There is no host material attached to it.

Dims: 3 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.07 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska, U.S.A.

This specimen consists of a tiny Platinum nugget. It shows no definable crystal form and has the standard moderate silvery-gray color and metallic luster of its specie.

Dims: 2 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.06 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska, U.S.A.

A tiny, rounded lump of Platinum makes up this specimen. It has a moderate silvery-gray color and a metallic luster, and shows no evidence of crystal form.

Dims: 2 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.06 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska, U.S.A.

Though showing no crystal form, this tiny Platinum nugget appears to have some crystalline tendencies. Its silvery-gray color and metallic luster are standard.

Dims: 2 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.05 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska, U.S.A.

This tiny Platinum specimen shows what appear to be some crystalline tendencies, though no actual form is discernable. Like all Platinum, it has a silvery-gray color and a metallic luster.

Dims: 2 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.05 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska, U.S.A.

A single, tiny Platinum nugget makes up this specimen. It has the standard silvery-gray color and metallic luster of the metal, and shows no evidence of crystal form.

Dims: 2 x 2 x 1 mm

Wt: 0.04 g

Fox Gulch, Good News Bay, Alaska, U.S.A.

This tiny specimen consists of a single Platinum nugget that has no visible crystal form. Its silvery-gray color and metalic luster are standard for the specie.

Dims: 0.28x0.16x0.13" (7.1x4.0x3.3mm)

Wt: 2.50ct (0.5g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This nugget appears to be at least three intergrown platinum crystals, all of which are incomplete but all of which also show several crystal faces. The hollows of the specimen have a brown mineral coating which I cannot identify. The platinum itself has a rather dull metallic luster and slightly dark silver color. Close examination reveals that the surface is covered with tiny pits, which dulls the effective luster. Some of these are arrayed in a pattern which indicates that they may be due to a growth pattern.

Dims: 0.14x0.13x0.11" (0.35x0.33x0.27cm)

Wt: 2.25ct (0.45g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This is a single crystal of platinum, a rectangular cube. It has a rough, pitted surface, the exposed portions of which are a silvery-white color and metallic luster, while the protected parts have a darker coating. A loupe reveals numerous inclusions of tiny gold specs, possibly gold itself.

Dims: 0.13x0.12x-.11" (0.33x0.30x0.27cm)

Wt: 1.10ct (0.22g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This platinum specimen has several intergrown cubic crystals, although the largest crystal is only about half of a cube in shape. All have a dull, silvery color and a rather dull metallic luster. The edges and corners have a shiny, silver appearance, as the tarnish has been rubbed off at these points.

Dims: 0.30x0.20x0.08" (0.75x0.50x0.20cm)

Wt: 1.85ct (0.37g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This platinum specimen has a shape that is difficult to describe. It starts as two intergrown cubes, both incomplete, but one of them is flattened into an arrowhead shape with a third small distorted cube near the tip. I believe that the arrowhead shape is an impression of a host crystal.

Dims: 0.118x0.087x0.083" (3.0x2.2x2.1mm)

Wt: 1.15ct (0.23g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This specimen consists of three (possibly four) intergrown cubic crystals of platinum. Their color is a little on the brassy side (rather than the typical silvery-white), and they have a good metalic luster. The cubes are incomplete, but are otherwise in pretty good condition.

Dims: 0.13x0.12x0.11" (0.32x0.31x0.29cm)

Wt: 1.80ct (0.36g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This tiny specimen contains several intergrown crystals of platinum, the largest of which is a nearly complete cube. The platinum has weathered to a gray color with a dull metallic luster.

Dims: 0.11x0.15x0.12" (2.70x3.85x3.09mm)

Wt: 1.65ct (0.33g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

Two cubes of platinum have intergrown to make this specimen. The larger has an extended edge, and several small protrusions that prevent it from being a perfect cube. The color is a metallic gray, and the luster is also metallic. There is an oddly shaped tiny pit in one face. Of special note, one face has a barely visible gold spot. A loupe reveals that there are actually two tiny gold spots, and I believe that they are both native gold.

Dims: 0.18x0.13x0.14" (4.50x3.20x3.48mm)

Wt: 1.30ct (0.26g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This is two intergrown cubes of platinum crystals plus a few tiny protrusions that may be additional distorted cubes. The color is a light silvery gray with a relatively dull metallic luster due to a fine pitting of the surface. There are also some larger pits suggesting that additional minerals were present before these formed, and have since dissolved away.

Dims: 0.13x0.12x0.11" (0.325x0.273x0.313cm)

Wt: 0.95ct (0.19g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This specimen is a complex intergrowth of several cubic crystals of platinum. While the overall shape is rather irregular, every side displays right-angled corners. The crystals are opaque, display a silvery-white hue, and have a rather dull metallic luster due to the surface pattern of tiny pits visible through a loupe. There is a crevice and some tiny pits partly filled with a dark material.

Dims: 0.12x0.12x0.11" (0.306x0.303x0.277cm)

Wt: 2.3ct (0.46g)

Kondyor Massif, Khabarauskiy Kray, Russia

This is a very good cubic crystal of native platinum. It is somewhat elongated, and the edges and corners are slightly rounded, due to its nature as a placer deposit. Also, two of the faces have noticable pits which appear to contain a slightly reddish material. Otherwise, the specimen has a typical silver-white color and metallic luster, with very fine pitting visible under a loupe.

Dims: 0.49x0.23x0.11" (1.23x0.58x0.29cm)

Wt: 4.5ct (0.90g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This is a large and adly shaped platinum specimen. I see hints that several highly distorted cubic crystals are connected by a curved sheet of platinum. It makes this an interesting specimen, one of my favorite platinum specimens, even though it does not show good crystals. The color is typical light silver for platinum, although the surface has many pits and crevices all filed with a black substance, which darkens the over-all appearance quite a bit.

Dims: 0.45x0.21x0.13" (1.13x0.53x0.32cm)

Wt: 4.0ct (0.80g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This is an interesting specimen of platinum. It has many hints of crystal form as there are many flat surfaces and even right angles (alluding to its cubic habit), but the shape is extremely complex, with groves, pits, and cavities. There is even a "tail", as part of the specimen extends beyond the body in a series of angles. The specimen has a gray color and dull metallic luster.

Dims: 0.16x0.15x0.09in (0.42x0.39x0.24cm)

Wt: 1.5ct (0.3g)

Kunder Massif, Russia

This piece of platinum is a partial cube, and from one corner it looks very good. The opposite side is missing, but still has some crystal faces.

dims mm=0.148x0.144x0.137

wt g=0.47

Kunder Massif, Russia

A very nice crystal of intergrown platinum cubes, this specimen displays well, partly because its corners, cracks, and crevices are filled with a brown material (limonite?) that contrasts nicely with the silver-white of the platinum.

dims mm=10.0x5.4x3.9

wt g=0.84

Kunder Massif, Russia

This platimum specimen has an unusual shape with little indication of crystal forms. It does have the characteristic metallic color and luster, and has a triangular crystal fragment at one end, and a hollow underneath.

dims mm=4.01x3.83x1.65

wt g=0.27

Kunder Massif, Russia

This flattened cube of platinum has very clean faces and relatively good form. Although it is incomplete, it shows well.

dims mm=6.06x4.17x2.47

wt g=0.61

Kunder Massif, Russia

This looks more like an miniaturized iron meteorite than the platinum that it is. It shows no sign of crystal form, but rther has pits and protrucions. At least the color, luster, and density is correct for a natural platinum specimen.